Sunday, February 03, 2013

Our Lady of Czestochowa icon touring Spain

A replica image of Our Lady of Czestochowa is currently traveling
throughout Spain on a pro-life and pro-family pilgrimage that will span
12,000 miles and 23 countries.
Dubbed “From Ocean to Ocean,” the tour began last September in
Vladivostok on Russia’s Pacific coast and will conclude at the Shrine of
Fatima on the Atlantic coast of Portugal.

Organizers of the tour hope that “the number of people who discover and
defend the dignity of the human being from conception to natural death
will continuously increase.”The famous image of Mary, normally housed at the Jasna Gora Shrine in
Poland, has been in Spain since Dec. 15, visiting more than 25 dioceses.Its stop in the region of Murcia was especially significant as the area
was hit by a 5.1-magnitude earthquake in May 2011, which left nine
people dead and 324 injured, in addition to causing widespread
damage.

Masses, holy hours and other services were celebrated as the
icon visited the region’s cities of Vera Cruz and Lorca.In the region’s capital city of Murcia, the icon visited the Poor Clare
convent, where the nuns gathered for a special rosary.

The convent is
one of the important architectural sites in the city, as it was
constructed over an ancient Arab palace.

From Feb. 7-14, the image will be in Madrid for a series of prayer vigils in defense of human life. The icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa - one of the most venerated images
in Poland - depicts the Virgin Mary holding the child Jesus in her
arms.

Throughout its history, it has been the target of numerous attacks
that have left marks on Virgin Mary’s face and neck.

Blessed Pope John Paul II had a special devotion to Our Lady of
Czestochowa and kept a copy of the image in his papal apartment at the
Vatican.